Understanding Donor Needs: Challenge & Excitement

In our ongoing deep dive into the DonorDrivers® model series, we’ve already explored Quadrant 1: Closeness & Appreciation, a set of needs centred around connection, recognition, and the warmth of giving.

Now, we turn to Quadrant 2: Challenge & Excitement, which sits between Face 2: Influence & Pleasure and Face 3: Challenge & Transform in the Four Faces of Charity® model. This quadrant captures a very different set of motivations for giving, driven by ambition, energy, and the thrill of accomplishment.

Not all donors are content to passively support a cause. Some want to create something from the ground up, set ambitious goals, and experience the thrill of seeing them achieved. Others find satisfaction in organising events, rallying communities, or competing for a cause. For them, giving is also about the journey, the sense of achievement, the rush of winning, the joy of breaking from the everyday, or the enrichment that comes from broadening their horizons.

Understanding this quadrant matters for any donor engagement strategy because these donors respond best to opportunities that challenge them and keep them engaged. Whether it’s a high-energy fundraising event, a competitive giving campaign, or a hands-on project they can shape, these supporters thrive when there’s movement, purpose, and excitement.

By identifying these deeper motivations, leaders can design strategies that resonate far beyond age, income, or demographics. They can create giving experiences that donors actively want to repeat, not simply because it’s the “right thing” to do, but because it’s rewarding, memorable, and exhilarating. This is where fundraising effectiveness truly grows.

Here are the eight DonorDrivers® that define Challenge & Excitement:

1. Creating and Growing

“It’s rewarding to get my hands dirty and create and grow something over time.”

Some donors are natural builders. They thrive on shaping ideas, launching projects, and seeing them flourish. These are often entrepreneurial personalities who don’t just want to join in, they want to set the direction.

For fundraisers, this means creating opportunities where supporters can take ownership, contribute their ideas, and see tangible growth over time. The more autonomy and creative input you allow, the more engaged they’ll be.

Example: A businesswoman launches her own fundraising initiative for her children’s kindergarten, not only raising money but also advising the school’s management on how to allocate the funds.

2. Sense of Own Achievement

“By being able to give, I also get a better sense of what I have achieved.”

For some, giving is deeply personal. A conscious choice to grow as a person and affirm their values. These donors are motivated by the feeling that their actions say something positive about who they are.

To engage them, celebrate their contributions in ways that reinforce this personal narrative. It’s less about the cost of the gift and more about the sense of progress and self-improvement it brings.

Example: A supporter makes spontaneous, regular donations, finding satisfaction not in recognition but in the quiet pride of knowing they are becoming a more generous person.

3. Organising and Achieving

“I love bringing people together to get things done.”

Born organisers gain fulfilment from rallying others around a cause. They enjoy managing logistics, coordinating events, and watching a team effort succeed.

Fundraisers can harness this by inviting them into planning committees or giving them leadership roles in community events. For these donors, the process is as rewarding as the outcome.

Example: A local community leader sets up an annual charity gala, energising volunteers and aiming to surpass last year’s fundraising target.

4. Thrill

“Helping others can be a real thrill.”

Some donors seek adrenaline, a heightened sense of purpose and excitement in their giving. This can come from hands-on involvement or even from witnessing dramatic, high-stakes moments.

Engaging these donors might mean creating urgent, time-bound campaigns or offering immersive, on-the-ground experiences.

Example: An environmental activist joins a sea mission to disrupt illegal whaling activities, finding excitement and meaning in direct action. 

5. Winning

“Wars are won by winning battles. I want to know we win battles continuously with this charity.”

Donors motivated by “winning” want to see measurable victories, whether small milestones or big achievements. They are most engaged when progress is visible and celebrated.

Fundraising teams should focus on clear, tangible goals and report on wins often, showing supporters that they’re part of a successful effort.

Example: A community comes together to raise funds for a family in crisis within just one week, with social media updates marking each milestone until the goal is reached.

6. Competing

“A little competition is exciting. If it’s for a good cause, all the better.”

Some donors thrive on friendly rivalry. Whether it’s beating last year’s results, outperforming peers, or challenging themselves.

Leverage this by incorporating leaderboards, challenges, or competitive elements into your fundraising campaigns.

Example: A company donates a large sum and publicly challenges other local businesses to match or exceed their contribution, sparking a competitive giving chain.

7. Broadening Horizons

“In supporting charities, I enjoy that I can also broaden my horizons.”

These donors are curious learners. They value the opportunity to see the world from different perspectives and expand their understanding.

To engage them, link your cause to stories, experiences, and knowledge that are both relevant and inspiring.

Example: Parents sponsor a child overseas and use updates and letters to teach their children about empathy, gratitude, and global realities.

8. Break Out / Pleasure

“If doing good can also be fun and inspiring, then it’s even more reason to give.”

For these donors, giving is even better when it offers an escape from the everyday. They want joy, entertainment, and the camaraderie of shared experiences.

Charities can design campaigns that blend fun with impact — from themed events to creative challenges.

Example: Supporters join a Movember campaign, raising funds while enjoying the humour, camaraderie, and visible transformation that comes with growing a moustache for a cause.

Turning Challenge & Excitement into Fundraising Effectiveness

Donors with needs falling in this quadrant are not simply looking to support your cause, they want to experience it. They seek opportunities to act, lead, compete, and achieve. If your donor engagement strategy can tap into these motivations, you’ll see higher participation, stronger emotional investment, and repeat giving.

The key is to design campaigns that give them room to shine:

• Offer hands-on involvement and ownership of projects

• Set ambitious, visible goals with progress updates

• Create competitive, high-energy events

• Provide enriching experiences that broaden perspectives

By aligning your efforts with the DonorDrivers® of Challenge & Excitement, you can make giving feel not just worthwhile, but unforgettable. And that’s where fundraising effectiveness really grows — when donors can look back and say, “That was incredible. I want to do it again.”

If you missed our first post in the series, Quadrant 1: Closeness & Appreciation, you can read it here to explore another layer of donor motivation. You can also download the DonorDrivers Playbook to learn more about the approach.

Together, these insights help build more strategic, more human, and more inspiring approaches to fundraising.